The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122325.cfm Christmas does not begin when the stores say it does. It begins with prayer. As Fr. Chris Alar, MIC explains, the Church enters Christmas at Vespers on Christmas Eve, because the mystery we celebrate is not sentimentality but the Incarnation itself — God entering history to heal what humanity could never repair on its own.

The story of Noah’s Ark employs a great deal of figurative language to express an absolute truth about God and our relationship with him. Father Chris Alar, MIC, explains what we can learn from the true story of Noah and the great flood and how the Ark prefigures the Church.  

In this episode, join Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, as he explores the life and incredible stories of one of the greatest saints of modern times, St. Padre Pio. Learn about the stigmata (Christ’s wounds) that he bore for 50 years and hear about some of his miracles and saintly virtues.